Accessory for switches



March 31, 1936.

2: W W 6 IE 3:

w. H. FRANK 2,935,643

ACCESSORY FOR SWITCHES Filed Oct. 29, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. MM$43M ATTORNEY.

March 31, 1936. w H. FRANK 2,035,648

ACCESSORY FOR SWITCHES Filed Oct. 29, 1934 3 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

March 31, 1936. w. H. FRANK ACCESSORY FOR SWITCHES 5 Sheeds-Sheet 3Filed Oct. 29, 1934 INVENTOR.

$ Ill Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BulldogElectric Mich,

Products Company, Detroit, a corporation of West Virginia ApplicationOctober 29, 1934, Serial No. 750,560

10 Claims.

This invention relates to wall switches, and

particularly aims to provide an accessory to be 'utilized in connectionwith conventional wall switches to give time delay operation to theswitch; and this application continues the prosecution of applicationSerial No. 667,643, filed April 24, 1933.

Objects of the invention will presently appearupon reference to thefollowing detailed description of several embodiments of the same whichare disclosed in the appended drawings.

In these drawings- Fig. 1 is a cutaway side view of a conventionaltumbler switch and its associated parts, and a 5 time delay mechanismmounted in accordance with the spirit of the invention, parts beingshown in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing partsof the time delay mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the disclosure of Fig. 1, the time delaymechanism being shown in operative position; in full lines, and swung toinoperative position with respect to the switch operator,

in dotted lines.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show three alternative con- I structions providingdifferent methods of mounting the time delay mechanism, Fig. 6 showingthe mounting as used for a plate thru which pro- .iects three switchoperators, with any one of which the mechanism may be used.

Fig. 7 shows a time delay mechanism mounted for use with a push buttonswitch.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the disclosure of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a frontview of a time delay mechanism mounted for use with the switch operatorof a rotary switch.

Fig. 10 is a side view, like Fig. 1, but showing a modifiedconstruction, having means providing universal adjustment of themechanism with re- 7 spect to the switch operator.

Figs. 11-13 are detail partial sections thereof, as if on planesrepresented by lines HI I, l2 |2, and l3 -l3 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 14 is a front view, like Fig. 3, showing the parts arranged forautomatic trigger operation.

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of Fig. 14. Referring to the drawings, andmore particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 it will be seen that the 50embodiment of'these figures is disclosed in connection with aconventional tumbler wall switch. The switch is disclosed injuxtaposition to a wall Hi provided with a recess bounded'by the lines iI and containing a conventional metal switch box 65 I2, the wall havinga finishing plaster surface indicated at l4. The switch is disposed inthe switch box l2 and includes a body IS, in front of which there is amounting strap l8 normally secured to and generally sold and consideredas part of the switch itself. Projecting upwardly 5 from the mountingstrap is the switch operator 20 which, for the tumbler switch shown, isin the nature of a lever. It is well known that the switch anditsmounting strap and its operator are inserted into the box l2 as aunit and held 10 therein by means of screws 22 threaded through thestrap I8 and into flanges or ears formed from the switch box l2.

The recess l I and all of the parts of the switch except a portion ofthe lever or operator 20 are 15 generally concealed by a cover plate 24of considerable area, the cover plate being secured with respect to thewall III by means of screws 28 passing thru holes 21 and threaded intothe strap I8,

the heads of the screws engaging the cover plate 20 and holding thelatter in place. The cover plate as is well known is provided with anelongated slot 28 thru which the operator 20 projects and all that isvisible from the front of the wall are the operator 20, the cover plate24, and the heads 5 of screws 26. 1

That which has so far been described forms no part of our presentinvention, for our invention relates to an accessory to be used with aswitch of the type just described or of an equivalent 30 type. Theaccessory is in the nature of a time delay mechanism for giving a timedelay action to the switch, the mechanism having an operating partadapted to move and engage the switch operator 20 to provide suchaction.

The accessory disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3 will now be described withreference to these figures. The accessory includes amounting plate 40secured with respect to the wall it by one of the screws 26, the latterpassing thru a hole of mounting 40 plate 40, the mounting plateoverlying the cover plate 24, substantially as indicated, and havingbevelled edges conforming to the bevelled edges of the cover plate, ifdesired. Bevelling the edges prevents the accessory from turning, withrespect 45 to the cover plate, even when it is held by only one screw.Riveted to the mounting plate, by means of a suitable rivet 42, is astamping 44 which is bent to provide a back part 46 through which passesthe rivet 42 and a top part 48 to 50 which is spot-welded the cylinder50 of the time delay mechanism.

Disposed within the cylinder 50 is a piston rod 52 having a piston 54secured thereto at an end thereof. The piston rod projects through 55 acover 56 provided on the lower open end of the cylinder 50 and at itslower end is provided with a button 58. The piston rod 52 is hollow fora considerable distance and in the hollow thereof is disposed a coiledcompression spring 60 which tends to advance the piston rod out of thecylinder when permitted. The coiled spring 68 is guided on a post 62formed on a spider 64 loosely disposed within and adjacent the upper endof the cylinder 58.

A screw having a head 66 and a rubber gasket 68 is threaded into theupper end of the cylinder 50 and thru the top 48 of the stamping 44 andthe thread-fit for this screw permits more or less air to enter thecylinder 58 thru the threaded opening, for purposes to be described, thescrew providing an adjustment for the pressure seal eflected by gasket66.

A locking means for the piston rod 52 is provided and the same is in thenature of a sheet metal stamping 12 secured to cylinder head 56 by arivet and slot connection 'l3l3a, and having a cutout 14 and a springextension 16, the cutout 14 cooperating with a groove 11 formed in thepiston rod 52. The stamping 12 has an extension which projects thrualigned slots 18 of the cylinder 50 and of the flange of the bottomcover plate 56 and is provided with an upwardly bent handle portion ortrigger lug by means of. which the stamping can be flexed so that itscutout is in or out of registry with groove 11 of the piston rod.

The time delay mechanism as a whole may be swung out of the full lineposition of Fig. 3 to the dotted line position of Fig. 3, -on the rivet42 as a pivot, and a teat 82 formed on the back 46 of the stamping 44co-operates with one or another of the snap depressions 84 formed on theengaged surface on the mounting plate 40 to locate the time delaymechanism with respect to' its mounting plate and to hold the mechanismsecurely in place with respect to its mounting plate, regardless of theposition occupied by the mechanism.

When the time delay mechanism is swung to its inoperative position, asin Fig. 3 (dotted lines), the switch operator 20 may be operatedmanually as desired with complete freedom and without interference.

However, when a time delay action is desired, the mechanism is swung tothe full line position of Fig. 3, corresponding to the position of Fig.1, and the time delay mechanism is then placed in operative relationwith respect tooperator 20. Before the time delay action is started, theparts of the mechanism are in the position of Fig. l with the piston rod52 fully retracted and. so held by the engagement of the flat edge ofthe cutout '14 of stamping 12 in the groove Ti of the piston rod. Theswitch operator at this time will be in the on position as indicated. Ifthe operator had wanted a normal quickbreak operation of the switch, hewould manually have moved the operator 26 to its ofi position. Wanting adelayed quick-break action, however, he will press in the handle part 80of the stamping I2 so that the edge of cutout 14 will move out of thegroove 11 in piston rod 52 and will release the piston rod. The spring66 will advance the piston until the button 58 on the end of the pistonrod engages the operator 28, after which, further advance of the pistonrod'will cause the operator 20 to move out of the on position, with aquick-break movement, caused by the switch spring.

the operator to its original condition. The operator will force thepiston rod 52 back into the cylinder until its groove 11 aligns with thestamping 12 so that the edge of the latters cutout will engage thepiston rod and hold it in place. Return of the piston rod is acomparatively simple manual operation; the user merely places his indexfinger on the head 66 of screw 65 and his thumb against the bottom ofbutton 58. Squeezing the two together causes the piston rod to returnuntil it is latched by the stamping 12.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the accessory is so mounted thatit does not interfere with normal operation of the operator 28 andfurther that the accessory can be mounted with respect to the switchmerely by removing one of the screws 26, and thereafter re-inserting it,thru the opening of the mounting plate 40. To mount the accessory,therefore, no electrical connection need be created; no wiring need beaffected; no structure need be altered; and no difliculty isencountered.

In Fig. 4 there is disclosed in plan view a slightly modifiedconstruction which shows a slightly different method of mounting thetime delay mechanism. In this figure, the back part 46 and part of thetop portion 48 of the stamping 44 are shown, other parts of the timedelay mechanism being omitted for the purpose of clarity. The back part46 is riveted to a mounting plate by a rivet 92 and this mounting platehas its side edges 94 bevelled and hooked over the side edges 96 of thecover plate 24, which cover plate is identical with that of Fig. l. Theconnection between the mounting plate and the cover plate may beeffected mereiy by sliding the mounting plate, with the time delaymechanism thereon,

over the coverplate, after the cover plate has been removed from itslocation on the wall "I. When the mounting plate and the mechanism areassembled on a cover plate to form an assembly, the assembly is placedin position on the wall with the screws 26 serving to clasp the assemblyin its place.

In Fig. 5 a still further modified construction a is shown. In thisconstruction the parts 46 and 48 of the stamping 44 are shown as securedto a mounting plate I02 by a rivet I84. The mount ing plate has itsedges bevelled as at N16 to conform to the bevelled edges 96 of thecover plate 24 and further has countersunk holes I08 aligned with andco-operating with countersunk holes N8 of the cover plate. Screws 26, ofwhich one only is shown, pass thru the holes lull-H0 of the plate andsecure the mounting plate, not only to the cover plate but with it, tothe wall Ill. The mounting plate will, of course, be provided with aslot H 2 aligned with the slot 28 of the cover plate, to permit thepassage therethru of.

the switch operator 26. In this form also, it is the set of screws 26which holds the time delay mechanism as a whole in place with respect tothe wall I6.

In Fig. 6 there is shown-a common type of construction, wherein thecover plate III has several switch operators or levers II4 projectingthru it. The mounting plate I I5 ofthe accessory is secured thereto bythe screws I I6 and has a slot I I1 completely to the right, so thatblock II8 will slide out of the open-ended slot II I.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a construction particularly designed for usewith a push button switch. Inthis construction the push buttons I26--I22alternately project forwardly" from the wall I24 thru holes in themounting plate I26, which plate is secured with respect to the wall I24by the screws I21, one only of which is shown. The time delay mechanismis enclosed within a stamping I28 having a back part I36 riveted at I32to the plate I26 so as to be rotatable about such rivet to and from thepositions shown in the full and dotted lines of Fig. 8, the mechanismbeing held in place by snap teats I33 being indicated in Fig. 0.

The stamping I28 includes an end part I38 against which the end of thecylinder I36 is spot-welded. Parts I46, I42 and I44, like thecorrespondingly referenced parts 65, 86 and 58 are also provided. PartI44, which is the operating button of the mechanism, moves to force thepush button I22 to the left of Fig. '1 when the time delay mechanismactuates, and this provides a time delay operation to the switch whoseoff operation is controlled by the button I22.

In Fig. 9 there is indicated a construction wherein a time delaymechanism is mounted adjacent a rotary type of switch having a rotaryhandle or operator I46 projecting forwardly from the surface of thecover plate 24. The time delay mechanism, indicated generally at I54, isshown as mounted on a mounting plate I secured in place by screws 26 towhich plate is riveted at I56 the stamping 44. The position of themechanism I54 is such that button I51 thereof will rotate the operatorI46 clockwise from the on to the oil position. This figure is providedprimarily to indicate that the time delay mechanism may be mounted toco-operate with rotary switches as well as switches of the tumbler andpush button type.

In Figures 10-13 there is shown a construction which provides universaladjustment between the accessory mechanism and the switch operatorwhereby an accessory may be mounted with respect to a switch andadjusted as mounted so as to cooperate with the switch operatorregardless of the position of the latter or regardless of variations inmanufacture between switches produced by various manufactures.

For providing vertical adjustment of the accessory with respect to theoperator 20, in a direction parallel to the cover plate plane, themounting plate 46 is provided with an elongated slot 46a through whichpasses the screw 25 which mounts the accessory on the switch cover plate24.

For providing adjustment of the accessory with respect to the operator26 in a direction transverse to the plane of the cover plate 24, thepiston rod 52, shown as hexagonal to cooperate with a hexagonal hole inthe cover 56 of the cylinder 56 whereby the piston rod is non-rotatablewith respect to the cylinder, is provided with a slot 52a on its lowersurface for receiving the end of a stamping 53 which is secured totheunder surface of the piston rod by means of a screw 55 passingthrough an elongated slot .51 formed in the stamping, the constructionbeing such that the stamping is non-rotatable with respect to the pistonrod, but is movable with respect thereto in a direction transverse tothe plane of the cover plate 24, as permitted by the loosening of thescrew 55. The stamping is provided with depending wings 59 spaced aparta considerable distance and providing trunnions for journalling a longroller 6I disposed between them, this roller engaging the operator 26when the piston rod moves downwardly to cause time delay break of theswitch. It will be observed that the adjustment of the stamping 53towards and away from the cover plate 24 compensates for variations inthe manufacture of the switches.

It will also be observed that the roller 6| is relatively long; in mostcases it is longer than the dimension of the operator 26 in a directionparallel to the plane of the cover plate.

In Figs. 14 and 15 there is shown a construction which provides forautomatic operation of the trigger 86. In this construction the cylinder56 is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate 46, in accordance with theteachings of the foregoing; and the trigger lug 86 is provided on theside of the cylinder rather than in front thereof, ascontradistinguished from the construction of Fig. 10 for example.Disposed on the mounting plate 46, adjacent the cylinder 56 when thelatter is in its operating position and secured thereto by a screw 83,is a lug 85, the latter projecting from the plane of the mounting plate46 at. least up to the trigger 86, whereby a portion of the lug 85 willbe engaged by the trigger lug 8| when the cylinder is swung from theinoperative position shown in dotted lines to the operative position,the trigger lug being pressed in automatically by such engagementwithout the necessity for the user of the switch pressing in the triggerlug manually in addition to swinging the cylinder down from itshorizontal inoperative position to its vertical operating position.

Now having described the invention and various embodiments thereof,reference will be had to the following claims which determine the scopeof the invention, it being understood that the invention is not to beconsidered limited to any specific construction here shown or described.

I therefore claim: l. The combination of a wall switch having anoperator projecting forwardly from the wall a considerable distance, andconcealed by a cover plate in front of and detachably secured withrespect to said wall by screws passing therethrough and threaded into apart of the switch, the operator projecting through the cover plate, atime delay mechanism also mounted in front of and detachably securedwith respect to said plate, by one of the screws which secures the coverplate in place, and thereby secured with respect to said wall, themounting screw passing through a hole in a projecting and immovable partof the mechanism, the mechanism comprising a cylinder containing apiston, the mechanism mounting pro jecting part being on the cylinder,the piston normally being constantly influenced out of the cylinder toengage the operator and move it in one the advance of the piston, therebeing a manually operable latch for restraining the outward movement ofthe piston.

2. The combination of a wall switch having an operator projectingforwardly from the wall a considerable distance, and concealed by acover plate in front of and detachably secured with respect to said wallby screws passing therethrough and threaded into a part of the switch,the operator projecting through the cover plate, a time delay mechanismalso mounted in front of and detachably secured with respect to saidplate, by one of the screws which secures the cover plate in place, andthereby secured with respect to said wall, the mounting screw passingthrough a hole in a projecting and immovable part of the mechanism, themechanism comprising a cylinder containing a piston, the mechanismmounting pro- ,iecting part being on the cylinder, the pistonnoroperable latch for restraining the outward movement of the piston,the piston being so formed that its return into the cylinder is free ofany operating influence on the switch operator.

3. The combination of a wall switch having an operator projectingforwardly from the wall a considerable distance, and concealed by acover plate in front of and detachably secured with respect to said wallby screws passing therethrough and threaded into a part of the switch,the operator projecting through the cover plate, a time delay mechanismalso mounted in front of and detachably secured with respect to saidplate, by one of the screws which secures the cover plate in'place, andthereby secured with respect to said wall, the mechanism comprising acylinder containing a piston, the piston normally being constantlyinfluenced out of the cylinder to engage the operator and move it in onedirection, the cylinder having means for retarding the advance of thepiston, there being a manually operable latch for restraining theoutward movement of the piston.

4. The combination of a wall switch having an operator projectingforwardly from the wall a considerable distance, and concealed by acover plate in front of and detachably secured with respect to said wallby screws passing therethrough and threaded into a part of the switch,the operator projecting through the cover plate, a time delay mechanismalso mounted in front of and detachably secured with respect to saidplate, by one of the screws which secures the cover plate in place, andthereby secured with respect to said wall, the mechanism comprising acylinder containing a piston, the piston normally being constantlyinfluenced out of the cylinder to engage the operator and move it in onedirection, the cylinder having means for retarding the advance of thepiston, there being a manually operable latch for restraining theoutward movement of the piston, the piston being so formed that itsreturn into the cylinder is free of any operating influence on theswitch operator.

5. The combination of a wall switch having an operator projectingforwardly from the wall a considerable distance, and concealed by acover plate in front of and detachably secured with respect to said wallby screws passing therethrough and threaded into a part of the switch,the operator projecting through the cover plate, a time delay mechanismalso mounted in front of and detachably secured with respect to saidplate, by one of the screws which secures the cover plate in place, andthereby secured with respect to said wall, the mechanism comprising acylinder containing a piston, the piston normally being constantlyinfluenced out of the cylinder to engage the operator and move it in onedirection, the cylinder having means for retarding the advance of thepiston, there being a manually operable latch for restraining theoutward movement of the piston, the mechanism being adjustable withrespect to the switch whereby the stroke of the piston may be varied.

6. The combination of a wall switch having an operator projectingforwardly from the wall a considerable distance, and concealed by acover plate in front of and detachably secured with respect to said wallby screws passing therethrough and threaded into a part of the switch,the operator projecting through the cover plate, a time delay mechanismalso mounted in front of and detachably secured with respect to saidplate, by one of the screws which secures the cover plate in place, andthereby secured with respect to said wall, the mechanism comprising acylinder containing a piston, the piston normally being constantlyinfluenced out of the cylinder to engage the operator and mdve it in onedirection, the cylinder having means for retarding the advance of thepiston, there being a manually operable latch for restraining theoutward movement of the piston, the' mechanism being adjustably mountedwith respect to the switch and adjustably constructed whereby the strokeof the piston may be varied in length and in position.

'7. The combination of a wall switch having an operator projectingforwardly from the wall a considerable distance, and concealed by acover plate in front of and detachably secured with respect to said wallby screws passing therethrough and threaded into a part of the switch,the operator projecting through the cover plate, a time delay mechanismalso mounted in front of and detachably secured with respect to saidplate, by one of the screws which secures the cover plate in place, andthereby secured with respect to said wall, the mechanism comprising acylinder and a piston, the piston normally being constantly in--fluenced out of the cylinder to engage the operator and move it in onedirection, the cylinder having means for retarding the advance of thepiston, there being a manually operable latch for restraining theoutward movement of the piston, means providing an adjustable mountingfor the cylinder with respect to the cover plate whereby the stroke ofthe piston may be varied in position.

8. The combination of a wall switch having an operator projectingforwardly from the wall a considerable distance, and concealed by acover plate in front of and detachably secured with respect to said wallby screws passing therethrough and threaded into a part of the switch,the operator projecting through the cover plate, a time delay mechanismalso mounted in front of and detachably secured with respect to saidplate, by

one of the screws which secures the cover plate in place, and therebysecured with respect to said wall, the mechanism comprising a cylinderand a piston, the piston normally being constantly influenced out of thecylinder to engage the operator and move it in one direction, thecylinder having means for retarding the advances of the piston, therebeing a manually operable latch for restraining the outward movement ofthe piston, means providing an adjustable mounting for the cylinder withrespect to the cover plate whereby the stroke of the piston may bevaried in position, the piston having a part for engaging the operator,the part being adjustably mounted with respect to the piston whereby therelation of the piston stroke to the operator may be varied.

9. The'combination of a wall switch having an operator projectingforwardly from the wall a considerable distance, and concealed by acover plate in front of and detachably secured with respect to said wallby screws passing therethrough and threaded into a part of the switch,the operator projecting through the cover plate, a time delay mechanismalso mounted in front of and detachably secured with respect to saidplate, by one of the screws which secures the cover plate in place, andthereby secured with respect to said wall, the mechanism comprising acylinder and a piston, the piston normally being constantly influencedout of the cylinder to engage the operator and move it in one direction,the cylinder having means for retarding the advance of the piston, therebeing a manually operable latch for restraining the outward movement ofthe piston, means providing an adjustable mounting for the cylinderalong the ,cover plate whereby the stroke of the piston may be varied inposition, the piston having a part for engaging the operator, the partbeing adjustably mounted tomove towards and from the switch, whereby therelation of the piston stroke to the operator may be varied.

10. The combination or a wall switch having an to said wall, themechanism comprising a cylinder and a piston, the piston normally beingconstantly influenced out of the cylinder to engage the operator andmove it in one direction, the cylinder having means for retarding theadvance of the piston, there being a manually operable latch forrestraining the outward movement of the piston, means providing anadjustable mounting for the cylinder along the cover plate whereby thestroke of the piston may be varied in position, the piston having a partfor engaging the operator, the part being adjustably mounted to movetowards and from the switch, whereby the relation of the piston stroketo the operator may be varied, the part being of considerable lengthalong the cover plate in a direction transverse to the piston stroke,suflicient to compensate for any irregularities in the position of themechanism-mounting screw with respect to the operator that might exist.

WILLIAM H. FRANK.

